Marking two decades after Guitar Hero hit the market in North America, offering everyday gamers the tools to become a rock star. Not in reality, but try telling that anyone who's mastered the epic lengthy instrumental break before a packed crowd of friends.
Developed by the developers, the game gave players a plastic guitar peripheral to follow on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff mimicked specific notes, producing the sensation of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already experimented with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was purchased by Activision in 2006. Collaboratively, they laid the foundations for an unlikely massively profitable series which made a remarkable impact on numerous musicians included, showcasing decades-old groups to a new generation of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, former COO of Harmonix, remembers the initial financial challenges in securing the recordings – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music because the cost was so high,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was extremely difficult. We failed to secure acts such as legendary groups – RedOctane had virtually no money, and our team was pretty convinced the project would flop. However, when Guitar Hero took off, album purchases and radio play were going up, everyone wanted to be in.”
He adds: “Among the remarkable aspects was how many mothers and fathers got in touch expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they adored. It evolved into a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains Younger Fans
Irish group one featured act included Never Too Late in the 2008 release the popular installment. Guitarist Paul Mahon recalls the way the game brought older hits back into vogue: “The game offered a larger, younger audience. Typically such music was seen as outdated material, however once it got featured on the game and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. This validated the genre, eliminating the outdated tag. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the band's debut album was still not available in the US, so the game was a key medium of discovery for the group during their US tour supporting the rock giants. “Their crew had on the song during travel, and several recognized us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Spin-offs and Lasting Influence
Rock’s biggest acts soon took advantage of the game's success, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and others starring in dedicated spin-off titles that focused on each band’s catalogue and related stories, imagery and legendary status. For example, the Aerosmith edition, it was said earned the band more money compared to their studio albums. It sold well over half a million units in its first week, and demand for Aerosmith’s music saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero continues to inspire nimble-fingered fanaticism within the community. Earlier this year, an online personality achieved an impressive attempt of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames – a notoriously difficult power-metal song popularized through the game – using a fan-made version, a no-cost alternative with similar gameplay and extensive customisation options. The song is difficult even in expert mode, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting every one of the thousands of cues. They stated it took months of practice of practice.
“Guitar Hero is a fun, imaginary experience. If you play Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to use a real gun and go to war,” says DragonForce guitarist Herman Li.
The band previously completed a successful tour when Through the Fire and Flames was featured in the third game, but Li says it made them a household name. “I remember our distributors informing us that our records were moving rapidly,” he shares. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we performed right ahead of top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
Indeed, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it threatened to eclipsing all other accomplishments. Recently, the track was used in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “In the past I thought differently, but now I accept it,” Li says. “Should you just listen to one DragonForce song, that's fine – each person has a unique path in music and I’m glad we played a role in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy of a Iconic Controller
Top-tier marketing, be it for automobiles, apparel or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero harness this? “Precisely what we were aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of performing as a music icon in the spotlight. From day one, the creators felt that humans have a natural urge to make music, and their goal was to use technology to allow people to do it”.
The majority installments came out over a mere five-year period from 2005 to 2010, including spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a turntable controller, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest in plastic instruments waned, aside from a brief comeback in 2015.
Titles like the fan project and Fortnite Festival have kept the community active, and there’s set to be something from the original publisher on the way. Recently formed developers has begun production on their first rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are both involved in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following Guitar Hero?
“Our team believed those games could be like Madden where you can releases,” he remarks. “With abundant new music it could remain perennially popular, so I’ve always been hopeful. It's entirely possible for it to continue for future fans.”
